Shank3, a postsynaptic scaffolding protein involved in regulating excitatory synapse assembly and function, has been implicated in several brain disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Phelan-McDermid syndrome, schizophrenia, intellectual disability, and mania.
The mood-stabilizing drug valproate, but not lithium, rescues the manic-like behaviour of Shank3 transgenic mice raising the possibility that this hyperkinetic disorder has a unique pharmacogenetic profile.